Today, more points are shared on idolatry, murder, human relationships, and the Ten Commandments.
THE BATTLE AXE: Divine Law for Mankind? (07/29/2014)—(5.) The widely held idea that the Ten Commandments and all divine law pertains only to attitudes, behavior and conduct derives from operations of the flesh (e.g., appetite, sensation, and emotional/mental functions). More correctly understood, the law describes spiritual conditions, and aspects of life substance. With this in view, such offenses as idolatry and murder may be spoken of as appearances and products of defiled, impure, and unclean spirits. Because such conditions lack awareness and self-will, sins and violations of divine law are not themselves entities or spirit beings. We may say, the law given to mankind to establish divine order further reveals Almighty GOD by describing events that exist and occur apart from, and outside of divine will—conditions and events apart from, and outside of divinity.
(6.) GOD is a boundless and eternal spirit who has put forth all created beings and living creatures. The first principles and rules for communication and correct relationship with GOD serve as boundaries and terms to establish clarity, consistency, honor, integrity, and righteousness within all exchange and interaction that may occur. No other gods are to exist within the closed, exclusive, and privileged relationship with the Almighty.
(7.) Violators of etiquette, good manners, and conventions for social propriety are called coarse, impolite, rude, unpolished, or uncivilized. A greater condemnation is pronounced against those who violate the Ten Commandments. The greatest danger for created beings and living creatures regarding judgment is not that their own disobedience and naughty conduct will be exposed and punished by GOD. It is that, using finite, imperfect tools such as emotion, intellect, and sensation (hearing, seeing, touching, etc.), the living may presume to accuse and indict others around them, themselves, and Almighty GOD, or even seek to usurp and replace GOD as the supreme judge over Creation. Thus, it may be thought of as a safeguard and protective shield that the balanced, necessary and righteous assignment of value for all things in Creation (we say, judgment) called for may only go forward through operations of the full GODhead being in one accord: No renegade may pardon those condemned to destruction by their own makeup and substance; nor may any beloved be wrongfully destroyed from bias, envy, malice, neglect, oversight, or spite. Those who attack and despise the image and spirit of GOD in mankind, also deny and oppose the divinity of the Creator. Their self-destruction is made irreversible, for in effect they work against everything that allows and nourishes existence.
(8.) It is not far-fetched or foolish for believers to carefully consider the multiple complementary applications, and various intended benefits of The Ten Commandments. Nor is it correct to read the law as a literal statement to restrain only specific or discrete actions and behavior where, in fact, a broad range of attitudes, inclinations, and patterns in ones conduct, thought, and verbal behavior also must be suppressed as contributing to, precipitating, and supporting named actions that are forbidden. Thus, mature Christian believers understand the following verses as having the same authority, intent, and power as the verses of the Decalogue, and are due the same allegiance, obedience, respect, and reverence: 11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another (Leviticus 19: 11, KJV); 4 If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. 5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. (Exodus 23: 4-5, KJV); 8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Colossians 3: 8-10, KJV); 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2: 3-5, KJV); 6 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. (Galatians 6: 1-3, KJV); 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5: 16, KJV); and 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4: 25-27, KJV). For those having discernment, all these are restatements of “Thou shalt not kill.”
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7: 1-23, KJV)
There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended. Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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